Page 6 of Protecting Silver
“It’s not pretty, Amber. I won’t lie to you. Someone beat the hell out of her. Her face is so bruised that I only recognize the color of her hair, and her clothes. Her clothes are not torn, but they are dirty and disheveled. If I had to guess, I would say she wasn’t raped, but it looks like her clothes got messed up when she fought off her attacker.”
“Why did you swear?”
“Because, I can see a hand print around her throat. It was like the guy lifted her by the throat and beat her.”
“Who the hell would do something like that? Silver is a sweet woman, and she wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“I know, and I have no clue.” Ronnie breathed easier when she heard the sirens in the distance. The first person she heard outside the dumpster was a deep voice she immediately recognized.
“Ronnie?”
“Amos, I can’t see over the side of the dumpster, but Silver Roundtree is in here, and she’s been beaten up really, really badly. She has a pulse, but it’s weak, and her face is so swollen, it’s unrecognizable.”
Ronnie didn’t know it, but the EMTs had arrived, and heard her. “Do you know if there’s any evidence beneath her fingernails?”
“No clue. I’ve been holding her hand and talking to her, but she has not responded since we found her.”
“Can I ask why you’re here at the club on a Wednesday night?”
“We brought Tymberly out for her bachelorette party. Before you ask, none of us has had any alcohol tonight. We just wanted to celebrate with Tymber.” Ronnie paused, then shook her head. Her conscience got the better of her, and she couldn’t let it go. “Amos?”
“Yes?”
“It’s a madhouse inside. I don’t want to blow anyone in, but I think the club is over capacity for what the Fire Marshal posted. I’m only saying this, because we found Silver’s shoe in the doorway leading from the hallway where the bathrooms are, to out here. Silver was with Amber, and it took Amber thirty minutes to make her way back to our table. It took us ten to get to the hallway.”
“I’ll go look. The EMTs are waiting for a ladder from the fire department.”
“Thanks Amos. I’ll give you my statement at the hospital. I’m letting you know that we’re following the ambulance there.”
“Wouldn’t expect anything less from you, Ronnie. I’ll see you there.”
Ronnie looked up when she felt movement above her, and the man’s face that appeared blanched when he spotted Silver lying on top of a bunch of garbage.
“Yeah, someone did a number on her and threw her away like trash. Do you want me to stay in here?”
“No, you’d better get out. Let me come in, then I’ll lift you out.” Ronnie nodded and stood to allow the man to enter the dumpster. He formed his hands to have her stand on them, then another man on the outside lifted her up and over the side. She climbed down the ladder and went over to her friends. As she stood there waiting and watching, she didn’t realize she had tears running down her face.
Chapter 4
Patch lookedup from the files he was signing and nodded to a nurse that had just walked up to the station and handed him another one. “All gone. I hate to say this, but it’s been a couple of slow nights.”
“Bite your tongue.” Patch laughed. “But, yes, it has been. I transferred in from Helena, because my family lives in the area, and I thought a smaller hospital would be slower.”
“Not always the case, Doctor. Traumas can occur anywhere.”
“Don’t I know it.” Patch nodded and continued to go over the discharge charts and sign his name. He frowned when the radio beside him screeched, and he caught only half of what was being said, but he did catch the words, female, head trauma, contusions, and lacerations. Patch jumped to his feet, and let the nurse handle the call, while he hurried to prepare a room. With a nurse tying a gown around him, he grabbed a pair of gloves and was headed toward the ambulance bay, when the doors opened, and he stood there in shock when four women that he knew literally ran inside.
“Patch!” Ronnie said as she rushed up to him. “It’s Silver, someone beat her to a pulp.” Patch looked up and the first thing he saw when the gurney was brought in was the beautiful woman beaten to hell. He saw red, and it took several seconds for him to get his anger under control.
“What happened?”
“We don’t know. She got separated on her way from the bathroom, and when she didn’t return, we went looking for her. Patch...” Ronnie said and gripped his arm to hold him back. “...someone threw her in the dumpster, like she was trash.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“Yeah, I climbed in to be with her until Amos and the EMTs came. They had to call the fire department to get a ladder to get in there.”
Patch looked at the other women, then made a quick decision. He pointed to the security guard, and said, “Take these women to the waiting room, and don’t let them leave until their men arrive.” He then looked at Ronnie. “Did you call Finn?”
